Gabriel, a Brazilian boy who was born with a congenital defect which resulted in deformed feet, participated in the FCB Campus that the Club organised in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Continue reading for a small feature on him.

FC Barcelona conducted a FCB Campus camp in Rio De Janiero (Brazil). This is the second FCB Escola in Brazil after the Salvador de Bahía FCB Escola that was established in 2011.  It’s a residential football installation for 90 youngsters. FCB Escola’s objective is to teach the team’s philosophy, and instill good values into the youngsters and provide them a training methodology. FCB Escola, with its FCB Campuses in Brazil, gives Brazilian children the chance to enjoy a football-filled schedule.

The Rio De Janiero camp was organised in the month of July and Gabriel is one among the 90-0dd youngsters to have participated in the camp. Gabriel is 11 and is a big Barça fan. He was born with no feet but that didn’t stop him from taking part in the camp. When the club heard of Gabriel’s case, they immediately invited him to join the rest of the children at the campus. Despite the physical problems he was born with, Gabriel has shown during his time at the camp that he is more than able to overcome the difficulties and all the coaches and other children were  impressed with his ability to run, jump, shoot, dribble. Gabriel also had special friends he invited to the campus – Joel and Romarinho, Deco’s son.

Xevi Marcé, the Director of FCB Escola, had this to say about Gabriel: “His (Gabriel’s) passion is for the game and for our Club. The only thing we have done is to allow him to enjoy himself and have a good time here playing football”. He also added that campuses bring the club closer to children all over the world and that it was very important for the club.

On the FCB Escola camp, Xevi Marcé said, “We are running these campuses so that kids around the world can get to know our methods, the way we do things and our values. It’s very important for us that the children are happy and in the case of Gabriel particularly, that they are happy doing that which they most enjoy. The campuses bring the Club closer children all over the world, which is very important for us“.

Ex-Barça star Anderson Luis de Souza, also known as Deco (34), currently plying his trade in Fluminense in the Brazilian league, visited the FCB Escola campus in Rio De Janiero and expressed his pleasure in the initiative and encouraged the youngsters to enjoy and make the most of the experience at FCB Escola. He also maintained that his time as a Barça player was one of the best moments in his career.

Source : fcbarcelona.cat; Image credit: fcb.cat